As Good as it Gets - 1997
When Melvin's neighbor is hate crimed, he is forced to dog-sit for him. Melvin ends up loving the dog and wanting to keep it.
This movie is about a man with OCD who has to dog-sit for his gay neighbor. I would rate it a 7/10. This movie is very funny but poor representation.
Melvin is very mean to everyone, even the woman he loves. Having psychological problems doesn't excuse his behavior.
Monk - 2002-2009
When Adrian Monk's wife, Trudy, is murdered, his severe OCD leaves him bedridden for 3 years. His ability to keep going is admirable.
This movie is about a man with OCD who is a detective. I would rate it a 9.5/10. This show is very funny and great to watch.
As someone who experiences it, Adrian is an incredibly good representation of severely debilitating OCD.
Front of the Class - 2008
I like that the main character doesn't have coprolalia (swearing/
inappropriate tics) but still has severely disabling Tourette's.
This movie is about a boy with Tourette Syndrome who becomes a teacher. I would rate it a 9/10. This movie is great representation.
Only 10-15% of people with Tourette's have coprolalia, making this movie more relatable to the majority of the Tourette's community.
Adam- 2009
When Adam tries to flirt with his neighbor, Beth, he says very rude and intrusive things. The things he says to her makes it seem like all Autistics are rude.
This movie is about a man with Aspergers (Autism) who attempts to start a relationship. I would rate it a 3/10. This movie is terrible representation.
Adam does not have an intellectual disability, in fact, he is very smart. He just isn't socially aware. His character is just very cringe to watch socialize.
The Road Within - 2014
As someone with severe OCD I give that plot line an 8/10 (the actor accidentally touches his face with gloves multiple times).
This movie is about a boy with Tourette Syndrome who runs away from a care facility with a girl with anorexia and a boy with OCD.
As someone with Tourette's I give it a 6/10. The character is very dramatized and mostly has coprolalia (swearing/ inappropriate tics).
Atypical - 2017-2021
I was unable to go to college due to the lack of disability accommodations; so, I can't speak on college experience when it comes to Autism.
This show is about a boy with Autism who tries to find love and go to Antarctica. I would rate it a 2/10. This show is very awkward and not at all fun to watch.
I don't like how Sam treats people and how his family treats him. Casey is incredibly disrespectful. The Gardners are not good parental examples at all.
Joker- 2019
Arthur is very poor representation of this condition. As someone who suffers from this condition as a symptom, I do not relate to Arthur.
This movie is about a man with Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA), laughing when you don't want to. I would rate it an 8/10. This movie is very good.
PBA does not make you a murderer. It is a neurological condition that can be a symptom of other things like PANDAS/PANS, stroke, brain injury, etc.
The Healing Powers of Dude - 2020-2020
Noah represents social anxiety very well. The actor also experiences anxiety; so, it comes across very genuine.
This show is about a boy with social anxiety disorder who goes to school with his service dog, Dude. I would rate it a 7.5/10. This show is very cute.
This is a great show to introduce talking about anxiety with kids. The only problem is the lack of control over Dude. He goes off leash and causes accidents.
As We See It - 2022-2022
I like that all the actors are Autistic themselves. I don't like that all the characters are incredibly unlikable. It is hard to get through the entire thing.
This show is about a adults with Autism who live together. I would rate it a 4/10. This show is difficult to watch. The characters are not socially inept.
Jack and Violet are especially difficult to empathize with. Harrison is nice and it is good to see headphone use awareness with his character.